Method and machine for knitting pile fabrics



1962 H. LINDNER ETAL 3,019,627

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR KNITTING FILE FABRICS Filed Oct. 30, 1958 NTORS DIVE? Amp/v52 fi/samum ATTORNEY T -1a-?!" @23 M A 3,019,627 METHUD AND MACHENE FGR KNITTING hllill FABRECS Hugo Lindner and Hellmuth liindner, Auerbach, Erzgebirge, Germany, assignors to VEEB Vereinigte Strumpfwerlre Esda, Auerhaeh, Erzgehirge, Germany Filed Qct. 3t), 1958, Ser. No. 770,7;2 Claims priority, application Germany Feb. 21, 1958 10 filaims. (Cl. 66--91) This invention relates to a knitting machine and method for the production of plush and cut-pile fabrics. More specifically, it relates to a fiat knitting machine in which the foundation or base threads are kinked in loops and the pile-forming threads rest on the upper side of the loopforming sinkers, and to a method of severing or tearing the pile threads during the knitting operation.

in knitting machines for plush and cut-pile fabrics it is desirable to combine maximum efficiency of the machine with maximum economy of material. In known machines for making plush knitted fabrics, it is customary to form or kink the pile-forming threads into loops in sub stantially the same manner as the foundation threads. Such machines customarily have loop-forming sinkers which are formed with throats or cut-out portions to retain the pile threads. This presents a disadvantage in that removal of the formed pile thread loops from these throats becomes rather difficult, since these pile-forming loops of thread or yarn must be lifted out of the throats while the knitting needles are being moved downwardly into their knockover position, and it has consequently been found almost impossible to avoid some undesirable damage to the pile thread loops during this operation. Also, the throats or cut-out portions of the sinkers which carry the pile threads are usually offset relative to the throats or cut-outs of the sinkers which carry the foundation threads, so that upon actuation of the sinkers and relative move ment thereof, loops are formed from the pile threads which are longer than those formed from the base or foundation threads. It has therefore been necessary for the pile-thread carrying sinkers of these prior machines to describe a longer path than the sinkers carrying the base threads. Being a time-consuming operation, this longer travel path of the pile-thread carrying sinkers naturally results in a reduced efficiency and output of such prior knitting machines.

Furthermore, in prior method and devices for producing plush or cut-pile fabrics it has been the practice to perform the cutting operation for severing the pile loops subsequent to the knitting operation, usually by a separate cutting machine, either by the use of a fiat narrow wire ending in a knife blade which stands outside of the fabric when the wire is inserted into the loops and severs the pile loops as the wire is withdrawn, or by a series of knives mounted on a revolving cylinder, the knives being spaced so that they sever the threads of the pile loops as they pass them. The additional operation and additional equipment required for this purpose is time-consuming and costly.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a knitting machine which is free from the above described disadvantages and which produces plush or cut-pile fabrics with maximum eiiiciency and output per unit time.

It is another object of the invention to provide a knitting machine which is particularly Well suited for producing the type of plush or cut-pile fabrics wherein all or selected ones of the loops of the pile thread are severed or broken.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel method and device for knitting plush or pile fabrics wherein the operation of severing or tearing the pile-forming threads is performed during the knitting operation, rather than subsequent thereto.

These and other objects, according to one aspect of the invention, are achieved by a novel flat type knitting machine provided with dividing sinkers and measuring or loop forming sinkers. The dividing sinkers carry a pileforming thread in a suitably shaped, e.g. an L-shaped, notch provided along the upper portion of each dividing sinker. The measuring sinkers carry a foundation thread in a kink-producing notch located forwardly therein and lower than the level of the L-shapcd notches of the dividing sinkers. The relative movement of the different sinkers and the downward en masse movement of the needles causes the upwardly located pile-forming thread to slide off of the horizontal portion of the L-shaped notch of the dividing sinkers into forwardly located kink-producing notches aligned with those of the measuring sinkers, so that both the foundation thread and the pile-forming thread rest in the kink-forming notches of the dividing sinkers, but only the foundation thread rests in the kinkforming notches of the measuring sinkers. Simultaneously, an upwardly protruding edge, provided in the forward part of a notch along the upper edge of the measuring sinkers, serves to catch and restrain the pile-forming thread and to tear or sever it at the desired sinker loop location, thus producing either a frayed end, if desired, or a cut-end effect in the pile fabric.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, Will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective representation of the loop-forming mechanism of a flat knitting machine according to the invention during the knitting of the foundation thread material;

FIG. 2 is a similar view with the mechanism in a different position, wherein the pile thread is resting loosely on the top of the loop forming sinkers and abutting against the shanks of the knitting needles; and

FIG. 3 is a similar View illustrating the position of the loop forming sinkers when the knitting needles are down in their knocking-off position and the pile threads have been severed.

In the drawings a loop-forming mechanism of a flat knitting machine according to the invention is illustrated. This loop-forming mechanism is provided with the usual loop forming or measuring sinkers 1, and with dividing sinkers 2 located between each of the loop forming sinkers. The measuring or loop forming sinkers l, as well as the dividing sinkers, each have a sinker notch 4A provided at its forward edge.

The needles 7 have an en masse movement up and down. The measuring sinkers 1 and the dividing sinkers Z are horizontally mounted and slidably movable to and from the needles 7, there being one of the measuring sinkers 1 for every two needles, and one of the dividing sinkers 2 for every two needles, alternately spaced between such needles. Yarn for forming the foundation thread is fed through a thread guide (not shown) into the sinker notch 4A of the measuring sinkers 1 to kink the foundation thread 3 between alternate needles, as shown in FIG. 1, by forward motion of the measuring sinkers, measuring off a predetermined amount of yarn. A second thread of yarn is fed through another thread guide (not shown) to form the pile thread 5. The thread guide for the pile thread 5 lags somewhat behind the thread guide for the foundation thread 3, so as to permit the pile thread 5 to rest or float loosely and without unnecessary tension across the measuring sinkers 1, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

After placing of the threads into position, the knitting operation begins. The dividing sinkers Z are moved from their rearward position of FIG. 1 forward en masse, robbing the yarn they require from the excess yarn measured off by the measuring sinkers l. The forward upper edges of each of the dividing sinkers 2 are provided with a suitably shaped, e.g. L-shaped notch or step 6A having an approximately vertical edge 6. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, these vertical edges 6 are positioned on the dividing sinkers 2 in such a manner that when the latter are simultaneously brought forward the edges 6 will loosely entrain the pile thread and bring it forward to a position where it abuts loosely against the shanks of the row of needles '7. The needles 7 are then lowered into the knockingoif position, and during this lowering movement of the needles the loop-forming sinkers l and the dividing sinkers 2 remain aligned in their relative positions as indicated in FIG. 2. During the knocking-off movement, the thread 5 becomes entrained within the beards of the needles 7 and both sets of sinkers provide rigid resistances against the downward pull on the pile thread 5. As a result of such resistance, the pile-forming thread 5 becomes severed by pressure against the rear edge 8B of projections 4. This severing of the pile thread will ordinarily be performed by edges 88 of projections 4- on the loop-forming sinkers l, as shown in FIG. 3 for the reason that the pile forming thread 5 can easily slip forwardly oif of the horizontal edges of the steps 6A, whereas the loop-forming sinkers 1 are provided with projections or catches 4 and with notched out portions 8 along their upper edges. These notches or cut-out portions 8, in combination with projections 4 prevent the pile thread 5 from slipping forwardly off of the loopforming sinkers 1 when the threads are pulled downwardly by needles 7. The bases of the notched out portions 8 are horizontal and parallel to and at equal height with the horizontal surfaces 6A.

Although these cut-out portions 8 are essential to the operation of the knitting mechanism when the loop-forming sinkers and dividing sinkers are located at the same level, they may be omitted when the upper edges of the loop-forming sinkers are positioned in a plane lower than that of the dividing sinkers, in which case the difference in height must be equal to the height of the vertical edges 6 of the steps 6A, and in that case the level upper edge of the sinkers 1 will perform the severing operation. Furthermore, the notches 8, when used, should be of a sufficient length so that the pile thread 5 will in no way be disturbed by the upper edge of the loop-forming sinkers 1 during the sinking of the loops of the foundation thread 3, and the rearward end 8A of notch 8 should be positioned accordingly.

It is, of course, possible to locate the rearward ends 3A of notches d back only far enough so that when both the loop-forming sinkers and dividing sinkers are brought forward simultaneously the pile thread 5 will be entrained by upwardly extending leg 6 on dividing sinker 2 as well as by upwardly extending rear leg 8A of notch 8 on loop-forming sinker 1, and thu both the loop-forming sinkers and dividing sinkers will jointly bring forward the pile thread 5 until that thread abuts against the shanks of needles '7, in the thread position similar to that shown in FIG. 2.

it is preferred to provide a sharpened edge along at least the forward portion dB of notch 8 and in the zone which forms the rigid resistance to the downward pull exerted on the pile thread 5. These sharpened edges 8B will thus act as cutting knives for severing the pile thread 5 at the apex of the pile loops.

It is also possible, if desired, to provide similar sharp edges located at selected intervals along the forward ends of the dividing sinkers 2 as well as or instead of those on measuring or loop-forming sinkers 1, and thus to sever the pile thread 5 at other selected intervals.

By rupturing or otherwise severing, tearing or cutting the pile thread 5 at the locations such as illustrated in FIG. 3, separate loops of the pile thread remain anchored in the foundation fabric provided by thread 3. With every consecutive row of loops the knitting process is repeated and thus, step by step, the plush or cut-pile fabric is produced.

One of the primary advantages of the present invention is the fact that the pile thread is deliberately severed or ruptured during the knitting operation. After the severing operation takes place, the pile thread is not sunk into deeper loops, but rather the loop-forming sinkers describe only the same length of path for the pile thread do those for the formation of the loops of the foundation thread, with a resulting economy in motion and in time.

Although the above invention is described in connection with flat type knitting machines, it is to be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find useful application in other types of knitting machines and processes differing from the types specifically described by way of example, and it is therefore not intended that the invention be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may obviously be made without departing from the'spirit and scope of the present invention.

It should be understood, therefore, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method of manufacturing pile fabrics by knitting on a flat knitting machine, comprising the steps of forming successively spaced loops in a foundation thread extending in one direction and resting on sinkers while maintaining a pile-forming thread in a loosely resting unkinked position parallel to and spaced from said foundation thread on other sinkers, maintaining between said sinkers a plurality of spaced knitting needles having shanks extending transverse to the direction of the threads moving said pile-forming thread forwardly to a position against the shanks of said spaced vertical knitting needles and parallel to and above said foundation thread, moving said needles downward to entrain predetermined spaced portions of the length of said pile-forming thread and said foundation thread, and simultaneously resistantly restraining said pile-forming thread at intermediate positions between said predetermined spaced portions of said pile-forming thread against the downward pull of said needles in an amount sufficient to rupture said pile-forming thread at each of said intermediate positions and to form successively spaced loops with the foundation thread.

2. A flat knitting machine for producing a pile fabric by knitting wherein a pile-forming thread is severed during the knitting process, comprising a plurality of horizontally mounted measuring sinkers, a plurality of horizontally mounted dividing sinkers alternately located between said measuring sinkers, a plurality of vertically movable knitting needles, said measuring sinkers and dividing sinkers being horizontally slidable towards and away from said knitting needles, the forward upper portion of each of said dividing sinkers being provided with pile-thread carrying means having a horizontal surface for loosely carrying a pile-forming thread transversely positioned across said dividing sinkers and having an edge for loosely entraining said pile-forming thread during forward sliding motion of said dividing sinkers said measuring sinkers having at least one non-vertical severing edge positioned along the upper edge of the sinker and in the path of said pile forming thread when said pile forming thread is drawn down by said needle, said severing edge being shaped to prevent knocking 0d of said pileforming thread into loops.

3. A fiat knitting machine for producing a pile fabric by knitting wherein a pile-forming thread is severed during the knitting process, comprising a plurality of horizontally mounted measuring sinkers, a plurality of horizontally mounted dividing sinkers alternately located between said measuring sinkers, a plurality of vertically movable knitting needles, said measuring sinkers and dividing sinkers being horizontally slidable towards and away from said knitting needles, the forward upper portion of each of said dividing sinkers being provided with pilethread carrying means having a horizontal surface for loosely carrying a pile-forming thread transversely positioned across said dividing sinkers and having an edge for loosely entraining said pile-forming thread during forward sliding motion of said dividing sinkers, said measuring sinkers and said dividing sinkers being aligned with their upper edges at equal height, the upper edges of said measuring sinkers being formed with an upwardly oriented projection and a notched out portion immediately rearward of said projection, the base of said notched out portion being horizontal and parallel to and at equal height with said horizontal surface of said pile-thread carrying means in said dividing sinkers.

4. A flat knitting machine for producing a pile fabric by knitting wherein a pile-forming thread is severed during the knitting process, comprising a plurality of horizontally mounted measuring sinkers, a plurality of horizontally mounted dividing sinkers alternately located between said measuring sinkers, a plurality of vertically movable knitting needles each having a beard adapted to draw down the pile forming thread, said measuring sinkers and dividing sinkers being horizontally slidable towards and away from said knitting needles, the forward upper portion of each of said dividing sinkers being provided with pile-thread carrying means having a horizontal surface for loosely carrying a pile-forming thread transversely positioned across said dividing sinkers and having an edge for loosely entraining said pile-forming thread during forward sliding motion of said dividing sinkers, said measuring sinkers having an upwardly facing severing edge extending angularly downward away from said needles, and positioned on the upper edge of said measuring sinkers in the path of said pile-forming thread when said pile-forming thread is drawn down by the beards of the needles.

5. A method of manufacturing pile fabrics by knitting on a flat knitting machine, comprising the steps of forming successively spaced loops in a foundation thread transverse to a plurality of spaced parallel bearded needles, said forming of loops being accomplished by movement of the loop portions of said foundation thread past the shanks of said needles while restraining transverse movement of the foundation thread by abutment of said foundation thread against said needles, maintaining a pile-forming thread in a loosely resting un-kinked position parallel to and spaced from said foundation thread, supporting said pile-forming thread with sinkers at spaced locations along the thread and supporting said foundation thread with the sinkers at spaced locations along the thread, moving said pile-forming thread forwardly to a position against the shanks of spaced knitting needles and parallel to and closer to the beards of the needles than said foundation thread, moving said needles axially to entrain predetermined spaced portions of the length of both of said threads with the beards, and simultaneously resistantly restraining said threads at intermediate positions between said spaced locations of said threads against the downward pull of said needles in an amount sufificient to break said pile-forming thread at each of said intermediate positions While forming successively spaced loops with the foundation thread.

6. A fiat knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein the rearward edge of said upwardly oriented projection located at the forward boundary of said notched out portion is formed as a sharp knife edge for cutting and severing said pile-forming thread.

7. A method of manufacturing a plush material upon a flat knitting machine having sinkers wherein the foundation thread is successively formed into loops and the plush forming thread is laid upon the upper side of the sinkers comprising, loosely supporting the plush forming material parallel to the foundation thread upon the sinkers, maintaining a plurality of vertically reciprocable loop-forming needles having shafts between the sinkers, moving the plush forming material by means of some of the sinkers against the shafts of the needles and drawing portions of the thread downwardly against the restraining force of the sinkers by descent of the needles into the knocking-0d position to break the pileforming threads against the sinker edges.

8. A flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of horizontally mounted measuring sinkers, a plurality of horizontally mounted dividing sinkers alternately located between said measuring sinkers, a plurality of vertically moving needles, said measuring sinkers and dividing sinkers being horizontally slidable toward and away from said knitting needles, the forward upper portion of each of said dividing sinkers being provided with a pile-thread carrying means having a horizontal surface for loosely carrying a pile-forming thread transversely positioned across said dividing sinkers and having an edge transverse to the horizontal surface for loosely entraining said pile-forming thread during forward sliding motion of said dividing sinkers against said needles, said needles including beards for downwardly drawing the threads to rupture the pileforming threads at the horizontal surfaces of the measuring sinkers and to successively loop the threads with said needles.

9. A flat knitting machine'for producing a pile fabric by knitting wherein a pile-forming thread is ruptured during the knitting process, comprising a plurality of horizontally mounted measuring sinkers, a plurality of horizontally mounted dividing sinkers alternately located between said measuring sinkers, a plurality of vertically movable knitting needles, said measuring sinkers and dividing sinkers being horizontally slidable toward and away from said knitting needles, the upper edge of each of said measuring sinkers being formed with an upwardly oriented projection and a notched out portion for carrying a pileforming thread immediately rearward of said projection, said measuring sinkers being adapted to carry a foundation thread forward of said upwardly oriented projection and move portions of the foundation thread against the needles and portions of the foundation thread beyond the needles, said needles having beards for drawing said threads downwardly to rupture said pile-forming threads against said projections and to loop said threads into a pile-forming thread.

10. A flat knitting machine according to claim 4, wherein said projections include a knife edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,441,110 OLena Jan. 2, 1923 1,545,845 OLena July 14, 1925 2,345,064 Nobel Mar. 28, 1944 

